The present invention relates to a method and device for the detection of a viewing direction of a person, in particular a driver of a vehicle.
In order to increase vehicle safety and vehicle comfort, modern motor vehicles increasingly have adaptive warning systems and information systems as well as backup systems which are capable of autonomously performing functions in the field of vehicle guidance on the basis of the current traffic situation and the state of a driver of the vehicle.
For example, German Patent Document No. DE 197 34 307 C2 discloses a device for monitoring and/or influencing the driving behaviour of a driver of a vehicle, which device generates a warning signal or acts on the steering as a function of whether the driver's viewing direction deviates from the direction of travel. The viewing direction of the driver of the vehicle is determined here using a camera, with the disadvantage that it is difficult to evaluate the camera signals in particular in the dark or when the sun is low in the sky.
In order to be able to observe a driver of a vehicle by means of a camera system irrespective of the current lighting situation, in particular at night, German Patent Application No. DE 101 60 843 A1, which was published at a later date than the present application, describes a lighting means for recording images in order to detect patterns in motor vehicles, which illuminates the vehicle occupants actively with infrared light. In order to avoid the driver of a vehicle being dazzled, it is not possible to use visible light for the illumination so that, in order to record images, it is also necessary to use a separate camera system which operates in the invisible wavelength range.